Clothes-reel.



PATENTBD NOV. 28, 1905.

G. Ll KEAEEE.

CLOTHES EEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l5, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

".ffi,; Witnesses l Ww by Attorneys No. 805,649. PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

- G. L. KRABER.

vCLOTHES REELe APPLIOATION FILED MAY15. 1905.

' ff" x Witnesses inventor.

4Z by Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

CLOTHES-REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed May 15, 1905. Serial No. 260.542.

To all whom, it may concern:

and similar devices, and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction, increase the utility and efficiency, and decrease the expense of manufacturing devices of this character.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designatmg characters, is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any'of its advantages. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved device applied as a clothesreel and foldable upwardly. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the structure as in Fig. 1 with the parts distended, and Fig. 3 is a similar View with the parts folded or collapsed. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to Figs. 1, 2. and 3, representing the device arranged to fold upwardly. Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 5, illustrating other slightly-modified forms of the structure.

The improved device maybe arranged without material structural change tofold either upwardly or downwardly, as may be preferred, and for the purpose of illustration both forms of the above-mentioned constructions are shown. The downwardly-folding construction will first be described and comprises a standard 10, having a plurality of flat faces and preferably square, as shown, and mounted for rotation by a socket 11 in the ground 12, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or upon apost 22, rising from the ground, as in Figs. 4 and 5, as may be preferred.

Pivoted at 13 respectively to the various facesof the standard are a plurality of bars 14, the bars thus swinging radially from the standard and disposed when extended in a substantially horizontal position, as in Figs. 1 and 2. Pivoted at 15 to each of the bars 14 and intermediately of the same is a brace member 16, the brace members attached to the face of the bars contiguous to the standard 10 and with the opposite ends of the brace members bearing against the standard, as at 17, when the bars are in elevated position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and bearing their full length against the standard when the bars are depressed, as in Fig. 3. Pivoted at one end at 18 to each of the bars 16 near the inner end and eXteriorly of the same is a link 19, the opposite ends of the links being pivoted at 2O to the standard. By this simple means the bars 14 may be extended into a horizontal position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and firmly supported in that position by the coaction of the brace members 16 and links 19 or foldable against the standard, as in Fig. 3, when the device is not required.

It will be noted that by attaching the brace members 16 to the inner faces of the bars 14 or to the sides of the bars adjacent to the standard and attaching the links in alinement with the bars 14 the brace members bear squarely for their whole lengths against the standard when folded, while the bars 14 and links 19 swing past the adjacent face of the standard. By this means the bars will fold into a less space than if otherwise connected.

The bars 14 may be utilized 'to support spaced clothes-lines or wires 21 in Fig. 1 when employed as a clothes-reel or the bars may be covered with canvas or other fabric to form a tent or umbrella-like structure; but as the covering of the bars forms no part of the present invention it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same. The device as thus constructed folds downwardly or similar to an ordinary umbrella; but under some circumstances it may be required to fold the bars upwardly, as in Fig. 6, and this can be accomplished by merely reversing the position of the various IOO members 14, 16, and 19 and slightly modify- IIO downwardly, while brace members 24, corresponding to the brace members 16 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are pivoted at one end to the upper end of the standard at 25 or about where the bars 14 are pivoted to the standard in the downwardly-folding structure and bear at the lower ends 26 upon the bars 14 in substantially the same manner as the ends 17 of the brace members 16 bear against the standard in the downwardly-folding structure. A link 27, corresponding to the links 19 of the downwardly-folding structure, are pivoted, respectively, to the brace members 24 and the bars 14 28 29.

Vhen the up\var :lly-folding structure is disposed in distended position and free from the rinfluence of the wind, the members 24 27 will extend in longitudinal alinement, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5; but anyupward movement will cause the braces and links to instantly assume the position shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 and lock the device from any further upward movement, as will be obvious. Substantially the same action takes place when the downwardly-folding structure is employed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the members 16 19 having a slight play when upward pressure is applied, but not sufficient to materially inliuence the operation.

The members 24 and 27 are so arranged that whenthe bars 14 are presented outwardly, as in Figs. 4 and 5, and upward pressure applied the pivot-points 28 will be disposed between the standard 10 and a line extending between the pivots 25 and 29, so that the bars will be locked from upward movement in substantially the same manner as the bars are locked from downward movement in the downwardly-folding arrangement. Thus the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 will not be elevated by the wind acting from below and will also be firmly held from movement downwardly, as will be obvious.

Under some circumstances the upwardlyfolding' structure may be employed, while under other conditions the downwardly-folding structure may be preferred.

In Fig. 7 another slightly-modified construction is shown, consisting in extending the link member 27 -for bearing upon the standard 10 against the bar 14; but the action is substantially the same in all the modifications shown and do not, therefore, effect a departure from the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a device of the class described, a standard member, a plurality of supporting members mounted to swing radially from said standard member, a plurality of links and braces pivotally united and likewise pivotally connected respectively to said standard member and sup porting members, said brace members extended at one end beyond the pivot of the same to support the members from movement in one direction.

2. In a device of the class described, a standard, bars swinging radially from said standard, brace members connected movably at one end to said bars and with the other ends bearing upon said standard when the bars are in elevated position, and links pivoted at one end to said standard, and pivoted at the other end to said bars intermediately of the same.

3. In a device of the class described, a standard having a plurality of angular faces, bars pivoted at one end and upon the several faces of said standard and swinging therefrom, a brace member pivoted at one end to each of said bars upon the face of the same adjacent to the standard and bearing by the other end against the standard when the bars are in elevated position, and a link pivoted at one end to the outer faces of said brace members intermediately of the same and pivoted at the- 

